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Tough Time Awaits Criminals In Rivers …As Wike Finally Signs Neigbhourhood Watch, Anti-Kidnapping Bills Into Law …Police Gun Down Kingpin In Rivers

In a bid to improve the security of communities, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nysom Wike has given his assent to the Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps Law No. 8 of 2018.
The governor also gave his assent to the Rivers State Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) (Amendment) Law No. 6 of 2018 and the Rivers State Kidnap (Prohibition) (Amendment) No. 2 Law No.7 of 2018.
Giving his assent to the three Bills passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said that the laws were necessary to enhance security across the state.
He said that Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps will support existing security agencies with intelligence and information for them to effectively fight crime and make the state safer.
The governor said that the Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps cannot work without the approval of security agencies who will profile all the operatives.
He said anybody who loves Rivers State will not do anything to undermine steps that will enhance the security of lives in the state.
Wike said: “If your hands are clean, you have nothing to fear about the three laws that I have given assent to. By tomorrow, I will appoint the person that will head the Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps.
“All criminals will face the full weight of the law. We will fight crime and ensure that the state is safe for investors”, he added.
He debunked claims by opposition elements that the state government plans to use the Neighbourhood Watch to arm youth, insisting that the corps was a replica of what was already in existence in Lagos State.
Commenting on the anti-kidnapping and anti-cultism laws, Wike said that stiffer penalties have been approved to discourage those who may want to be involved in the offences.
“If you are a cultist and you are caught, it is life imprisonment. If you are a cultist and you kill during cult activities, you will face the death penalty.
“If you are convicted of kidnapping and the Supreme Court affirms your conviction, I will sign the death warrant without looking back”, the governor said.
The governor said that the state government will battle cultism and kidnapping to a standstill, noting that enough is enough.
Also speaking, senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District, Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu said that the laws assented to by the Rivers State governor will strengthen security operations in the state.
Ideozu described as unfortunate the failed attempt by Senator Magnus Abe to mislead the Senate on the Neighbourhood Watch law, insisting that it was within the purview of the Rivers State House of Assembly to pass the state Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps Law for the security of the state.
The senator commended the governor for being proactive in the promotion of security in Rivers State by giving assent to the three laws.
Presenting the bills, Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Martins Amaewhule said that the laws provided for stiffer penalties in the interest of the state.
Amaewhule said that the Neighbourhood Watch Safety Corps Bill was passed in line with extant laws and the constitution.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said the Rivers State governor has made a difference through service delivery, and thanked him signing the three bills into law.
Meanwhile, a kidnap and sea piracy kingpin, Prosper David, popularly known as Militant General, has been gunned down by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team.
The killing of the kingpin on February 21, 2018 at about 10:45pm was sequel to a follow up on the kidnapping of Tina Bob-Manuel.
IRT operatives, The Tide learnt traced the kidnap kingpin, who was said to have embraced the Federal Government’s Presidential Amnesty Programme but later formed a kidnapping gang, to Bayelsa State where he was fatally injured during gun battle.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had deployed the IRT operatives to Port Harcourt, Rivers State to fight kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The IRT operatives were said to have been on David’s trail for long time after he masterminded the kidnap of Bob-Manuel on November 22, 2017 in her shop located at 107, Nvuigwe Road, Woji, Port Harcourt and several other kidnappings.
He was said to have underground after the collection of ransom in two instalments and when he sensed that the police are closing in on him.
He dropped his contact number known to his personal driver that was earlier arrested by the police and relocated his family from Victory Estate, Azikoro, Yenagoa in December 2017 to the creek all in a bid to avoid arrest.
After about 90 days of painstaking intelligence gathering with technical assistance support from the Technical Intelligence Unit, David was tracked to Asiri area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, where he had just rented an apartment.
On sighting the operatives, he ran into his apartment ceiling from where he engaged the operatives but was killed in the process.
Other suspects arrested for the kidnappings are: Johnson Denis, David’s driver, who was arrested with the victims phone; David, who had on him one AK47 riffle, one magazine, 26 rounds of live ammunition, four expended ammunitions and a Nokia phone belonging to his kidnap victim, with which ransom negotiation was done; Benjamin Johnson; and Anthony Joshua, with the last two arrested between February 21 and March 14, 2018.
Sources said serious efforts are in top gear to arrest other gang members and recover more arms.
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INEC To Unveil New Party Registration Portal As Applications Hit 129

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.
The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.
According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.
“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.
“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.
The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.
Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.
“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.
“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.
“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.
“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.
In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.
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Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills Into Law …Says Nigeria Open For Business

President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
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Senate Issues 10-Day Ultimatum As NNPCL Dodges ?210trn Audit Hearing

The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
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